Country Guide

Panama Facts

Geography People and Society Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Geography

Location:
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica


Geographic coordinates:
9 00 N, 80 00 W


Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean


Area:
total:75,420 sq kmcountry comparison to the world: 118
land:74,340 sq km
water:1,080 sq km


Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than South Carolina


Land boundaries:
total:555 km
border countries:Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km


Coastline:
2,490 km


Maritime claims:
territorial sea:12 nm
contiguous zone:24 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm or edge of continental margin


Climate:
tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)


Terrain:
interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills


Elevation extremes:
lowest point:Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:Volcan Baru 3,475 m


    Natural resources:
copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower


Land use:
arable land:7.16%
permanent crops:2.51%
other:90.33% (2011)


Irrigated land:
346.2 sq km (2003)


Total renewable water resources:
148 cu km (2011)


Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
148 cu km (2011)

Natural hazards:
occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area


Environment - current issues:
water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources


Environment - international agreements:
party to:Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:Marine Life Conservation


Geography - note:
strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean

People and Society

Nationality:
noun: Panamanian(s)
adjective:Panamanian


Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%


Languages:
Spanish (official), English 14%


Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%


Demographic profile:
Panama is a country of demographic and economic contrasts. It is in the midst of a demographic transition, characterized by steadily declining rates of fertility, mortality, and population growth, but disparities persist based on wealth, geography, and ethnicity. Panama has one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America and dedicates substantial funding to social programs, yet poverty and inequality remain prevalent. The indigenous population accounts for a growing share of Panama's poor and extreme poor, while the non-indigenous rural poor have been more successful at rising out of poverty through rural-to-urban labor migration. The government's large expenditures on untargeted, indirect subsidies for water, electricity, and fuel have been ineffective, but its conditional cash transfer program has shown some promise in helping to decrease extreme poverty among the indigenous population.


Population:
3,608,431 (July 2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 131


Age structure:
0-14 years:27.4% (male 504,710/female 484,166)
15-24 years:17.3% (male 317,875/female 306,378)
25-54 years:40.1% (male 733,588/female 714,859)
55-64 years:7.4% (male 131,899/female 135,015)
65 years and over:7.6% (male 129,091/female 150,850) (2014 est.)


Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:54.7 %
youth dependency ratio:43.2 %
elderly dependency ratio:11.4 %
potential support ratio:8.7 (2014 est.)


Median age:
total:28.3 years
male:27.9 years
female:28.7 years (2014 est.)


Population growth rate:
1.35% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 91


Birth rate:
18.61 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 98


Death rate:
4.77 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 197


Net migration rate:
-0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 126


Urbanization:
urban population:75.3% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization:2.23% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)


Major urban areas - population:
PANAMA CITY (capital) 1.426 million (2011)


Sex ratio:
at birth:1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years:1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years:1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.86 male(s)/female
total population:1.02 male(s)/female (2014 est.)


Maternal mortality rate:
92 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)


Infant mortality rate:
total:10.7 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 135
male:11.46 deaths/1,000 live births
female:9.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)


    Life expectancy at birth:
total population:78.3 yearscountry comparison to the world: 56
male:75.51 years
female:81.22 years (2014 est.)


Total fertility rate:
2.38 children born/woman (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 85


Contraceptive prevalence rate:
52.2% (2009)


Health expenditures:
8.2% of GDP (2011)


Physicians density:
1.5 physicians/1,000 population (2000)


Hospital bed density:
2.4 beds/1,000 population (2010)


Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 96.8% of population
rural: 86.6% of population
total: 94.3% of population
unimproved:
urban: 3.2% of population
rural: 13.4% of population
total: 5.7% of population (2012 est.)


Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 79.7% of population
rural: 52.5% of population
total: 73.2% of population
unimproved:
urban: 20.3% of population
rural: 47.5% of population
total: 26.8% of population (2012 est.)


HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7% (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 57


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
16,700 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 87


HIV/AIDS - deaths:
600 (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 86


Major infectious diseases:


Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
25.4% (2008)country comparison to the world: 55


Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
3.9% (2008)country comparison to the world: 99


Education expenditures:
3.5% of GDP (2011)country comparison to the world: 122

Literacy:
definition:age 15 and over can read and write
total population:94.1%
male:94.7%
female:93.5% (2010 est.)


School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:12 years
male:12 years
female:13 years (2011)


Child labor - children ages 5-14:



Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:14.6%country comparison to the world: 87
male:8.7%
female:10.3% (2012)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Panama
conventional short form:Panama
local long form:Republica de Panama
local short form:Panama


Government type:
constitutional democracy


Capital:
name:Panama City
geographic coordinates:8 58 N, 79 32 W
time difference:UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)


Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 3 indigenous territories* (comarcas); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Embera-Wounaan*, Herrera, Kuna Yala*, Los Santos, Ngobe-Bugle*, Panama, Panama Oeste, Veraguas


Independence:
3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain on 28 November 1821)


National holiday:
Independence Day, 3 November (1903)


Constitution:
several previous; latest effective 11 October 1972; amended several times, last in 2004 (2010)


Legal system:
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice


International law organization participation:
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction


Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory


Executive branch:
chief of state:President Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal (since 1 July 2009); Vice President Juan Carlos VARELA Rodriguez (since 1 July 2009); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government:President Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal (since 1 July 2009); Vice President Juan Carlos VARELA Rodriguez (since 1 July 2009)
cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the president
elections:president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms (president not eligible for immediate reelection and must sit out two additional terms (10 years) before becoming eligible for reelection); election last held on 3 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014)
election results:Juan Carlos VARELA elected president; percent of vote - Juan Carlos VARELA 39.1%, Jose Domingo ARIAS 31.4%, Juan Carlos NAVARRO 28.2%, other 1.3%; note - Juan Carlos VARELA is expected to take office 1 July 2014
note:the ruling government coalition - formerly comprised of CD (Democratic Change), Panamenista Party, MOLIRENA (Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement), and UP (Patriotic Union Party) - split in August 2011 when President MARTINELLI relieved Vice President VARELA from his position as Foreign Minister, prompting the Panamenistas to pull out of the coalition; UP has now merged with CD, and CD and the Panamenista Party will run separate candidates for the presidency in 2014


Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (71 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections:last held on 3 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014)
election results:percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 26, Panamenista 22, CD 14, UP 4, MOLIRENA 2, PP 1, independents 2; note - changes in political affiliation now reflect the following seat distribution: as of 13 February 2013 - seats by party - CD 36, PRD 17, Panamenista 13, MOLIRENA 4, PP 1
note:legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based formula


    Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 9 magistrates and 9 alternates and divided into civil, criminal, administrative, and general business chambers)
judge selection and term of office:magistrates appointed by the president for staggered 10-year terms
subordinate courts:appellate courts or Tribunal Superior; Labor Supreme Courts; Court of Audit; circuit courts or Tribunal Circuital (2 each in 9 provinces); municipal courts; electoral, family, maritime, and adolescent courts


Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal]
Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Juan Carlos NAVARRO Quelquejeu]
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Sergio GONZALEZ-Ruiz]
Panamenista Party [Juan Carlos VARELA Rodriguez] (formerly the Arnulfista Party)
Popular Party or PP [Milton HENRIQUEZ] (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)


Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chamber of Commerce


International organization participation:
BCIE, CAN (observer), CD, CELAC, CSN (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO


Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Mario Ernesto JARAMILLO Castillo (since 17 February 2011)
chancery:2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:[1] (202) 483-1407
FAX:[1] (202) 483-8413
consulate(s) general:Honolulu, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, Tampa, Washington DC


Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Jonathan D. FARRAR (since 15 May 2012)
embassy:Edificio 783, Avenida Demetrio Basilio Lakas Panama, Apartado Postal 0816-02561, Zona 5, Panama City
mailing address:American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002; American Embassy Panama, 9100 Panama City PL, Washington, DC 20521-9100
telephone:[507] 317-5000
FAX:[507] 317-5568


Flag description:
divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star in the center; the blue and red colors are those of the main political parties (Conservatives and Liberals respectively) and the white denotes peace between them; the blue star stands for the civic virtues of purity and honesty, the red star signifies authority and law


National symbol(s):
harpy eagle


National anthem:
name:'Himno Istmeno' (Isthmus Hymn)

lyrics/music:Jeronimo DE LA OSSA/Santos A. JORGE
note:adopted 1925

Economy

Economy - overview:
Panama's dollar-based economy rests primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for more than three-quarters of GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, logistics, banking, the Colon Free Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. Economic growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that began in 2007 and is estimated to be completed by 2015 at a cost of $5.3 billion - about 10-15% of current GDP. The expansion project will more than double the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate ships that are too large to traverse the existing canal. The United States and China are the top users of the Canal. Panama is also constructing a metro system in Panama City, valued at $1.2 billion and scheduled to be completed by 2014. Panama's booming transportation and logistics services sectors, along with aggressive infrastructure development projects, have lead the economy to continued high growth in 2012. Foreign investment, at around 10% of GDP in both 2011 and 2012, has continued to be a source of growth. Strong economic performance has not translated into broadly shared prosperity, as Panama has the second worst income distribution in Latin America. About one-fourth of the population lives in poverty; however, from 2006 to 2012 poverty was reduced by 10 percentage points, while unemployment dropped from 12% to 4.5% of the labor force in 2013. The US-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement was approved by Congress and signed into law in October 2011, and entered into force in October 2012. Panama also achieved removal from the Organization of Economic Development's gray-list of tax havens by signing various double taxation treaties with other nations.


GDP (purchasing power parity):
$61.54 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
$57.24 billion (2012 est.)
$51.72 billion (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP (official exchange rate):
$40.62 billion (2013 est.)


GDP - real growth rate:
7.5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
10.7% (2012 est.)
10.8% (2011 est.)


GDP - per capita (PPP):
$16,500 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
$15,700 (2012 est.)
$14,400 (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:57.6%
government consumption:13.1%
investment in fixed capital:30.3%
investment in inventories:0.9%
exports of goods and services:81%
imports of goods and services:-82.9%
(2013 est.)


GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:3.7%
industry:17.9%
services:78.4% (2013 est.)


Agriculture - products:
bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp


Industries:
construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling


Industrial production growth rate:
9.2% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18

Labor force:
1.54 million
country comparison to the world: 128
note:shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2013 est.)



Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:17%
industry:18.6%
services:64.4% (2009 est.)


Unemployment rate:
4.5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
4.4% (2012 est.)


Population below poverty line:
26% (2012 est.)


Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:1.1%
highest 10%:40.1% (2010 est.)


    Distribution of family income - Gini index:
51.9 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
56.1 (2003)


Budget:
revenues:$10.33 billion
expenditures:$11.38 billion (2013 est.)


Taxes and other revenues:
25.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-2.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110


Public debt:
39.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
39.6% of GDP (2012 est.)


Fiscal year:
calendar year


Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.1% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
5.7% (2012 est.)


Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
6.91% (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of narrow money:
$8.976 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
$7.659 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of broad money:
$29.72 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
$25.73 billion (31 December 2011 est.)


Stock of domestic credit:
$35.57 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
$32.27 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Market value of publicly traded shares:
$12.54 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Current account balance:
-$5.064 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
-$3.267 billion (2012 est.)


Exports:
$18.87 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
$18.88 billion (2012 est.)
note:includes the Colon Free Zone


Exports - commodities:
gold, bananas, shrimp, sugar, iron and steel waste, pineapples, watermelons


Exports - partners:
US 20.2%, Canada 14.6%, Costa Rica 6.6%, Netherlands 5.9%, Sweden 4.8%, China 4.1%, Italy 4% (2012)


Imports:
$26.61 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
$24.61 billion (2012 est.)
note:includes the Colon Free Zone


Imports - commodities:
fuel products, medicines, vehicles, iron and steel rods, cellular phones


Imports - partners:
US 23.6%, China 6.4%, Costa Rica 4.6%, Mexico 4.4% (2012)


Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.666 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
$2.466 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Debt - external:
$15.22 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
$13.56 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$32.89 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
$29.27 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$3.233 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
$3.11 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Exchange rates:
balboas (PAB) per US dollar -
1 (2013 est.)
1 (2012 est.)
1 (2010 est.)
1 (2009)
1 (2008)

Energy

Electricity - production:
7.257 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107


Electricity - consumption:
6.209 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104


Electricity - exports:
39 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84


Electricity - imports:
72 million kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97


Electricity - installed generating capacity:
1.976 million kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105


Electricity - from fossil fuels:
52.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148


Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162


Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
47.4% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45


Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113


Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206


Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168


Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109


    Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176


Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185


Refined petroleum products - consumption:
98,890 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78


Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208


Refined petroleum products - imports:
111,100 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49


Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181


Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186


Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165


Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116


Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183


Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
15.9 million Mt (2011 est.)

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
640,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 90


Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.77 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 96


Telephone system:
general assessment:domestic and international facilities well-developed
domestic:mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has increased rapidly
international:country code - 507; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), the MAYA-1, and PAN-AM submarine cable systems that together provide links to the US and parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System (2011)



    Broadcast media:
multiple privately owned TV networks and a government-owned educational TV station; multi-channel cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; more than 100 commercial radio stations (2007)


Internet country code:
.pa


Internet hosts:
11,022 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 132


Internet users:
959,800 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 104

Transportation

Airports
117 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 49


Airports - with paved runways
total:57
over 3,047 m:1
2,438 to 3,047 m:3
1,524 to 2,437 m:3
914 to 1,523 m:20
under 914 m:30 (2013)


Airports - with unpaved runways
total:60
1,524 to 2,437 m:1
914 to 1,523 m:8
under 914 m:
51 (2013)


Heliports
3 (2013)


Pipelines
oil 128 km (2013)


Railways
total:76 kmcountry comparison to the world: 127
standard gauge:76 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)


Roadways
total:15,137 kmcountry comparison to the world: 122
paved:6,351 km
unpaved:8,786 km (2010)


    Waterways
800 km (includes the 82-km Panama Canal that is being widened) (2011)
country comparison to the world: 73


Merchant marine
total:6,413country comparison to the world: 1
by type:barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 2,525, cargo 1,115, carrier 27, chemical tanker 588, combination ore/oil 1, container 742, liquefied gas 205, passenger 42, passenger/cargo 51, petroleum tanker 545, refrigerated cargo 191, roll on/roll off 87, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 290
foreign-owned:5,162 (Albania 4, Argentina 5, Australia 4, Bahamas 6, Bangladesh 5, Belgium 1, Bermuda 27, Brazil 3, Bulgaria 6, Burma 3, Canada 6, Chile 14, China 534, Colombia 2, Croatia 2, Cuba 2, Cyprus 5, Denmark 41, Ecuador 3, Egypt 11, Finland 2, France 7, Gabon 1, Germany 24, Gibraltar 1, Greece 379, Hong Kong 144, India 24, Indonesia 10, Iran 5, Ireland 1, Israel 1, Italy 25, Japan 2372, Jordan 11, Kuwait 12, Lebanon 2, Lithuania 3, Luxembourg 1, Malaysia 12, Maldives 2, Malta 2, Mexico 5, Monaco 11, Netherlands 6, Nigeria 6, Norway 81, Oman 10, Pakistan 3, Peru 9, Philippines 5, Portugal 10, Qatar 1, Romania 3, Russia 49, Saudi Arabia 11, Singapore 92, South Korea 373, Spain 30, Sweden 2, Switzerland 15, Syria 34, Taiwan 328, Tanzania 2, Thailand 6, Turkey 62, UAE 83, UK 37, Ukraine 8, US 90, Venezuela 13, Vietnam 43, Yemen 4)
registered in other countries:1 (Honduras 1) (2010)



Ports and terminals
major seaport(s):Balboa, Colon, Cristobal
container port(s) (TEUs):Balboa (3,232,265), Colon (2,390,976), Manzanillo (2,391,066)

Military

Military branches
no regular military forces; Panamanian Public Security Forces (subordinate to the Ministry of Public Security), comprising the National Police (PNP), National Air-Naval Service (SENAN), National Border Service (SENAFRONT) (2013)


Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49:890,006 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49:731,254
females age 16-49:728,329 (2010 est.)


    Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male:32,142
female:30,879 (2010 est.)


Military - note
on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting the creation of a standing military force but allowing the temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of 'external aggression'

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international
organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the remote border region with Panama


Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin):15,723 (Colombia) (2012)


    Illicit drugs
major cocaine transshipment point and primary money-laundering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major problem
Information/ Data by CIA - The World Factbook

LookForAttorney.com | Country Guide of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Country Guide

Bosnia and Herzegovina Facts

Geography People and Society Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Geography

Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia


Geographic coordinates:
44 00 N, 18 00 E


Map references:
Europe


Area:
total:51,197 sq kmcountry comparison to the world: 129
land:51,187 sq km
water:10 sq km


Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia


Land boundaries:
total:1,543 km
border countries:Croatia 956 km, Montenegro 242 km, Serbia 345 km


Coastline:
20 km


Maritime claims:
lowest point:Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point:Maglic 2,386 m


Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, timber, hydropower


    Land use:
arable land:19.63%
permanent crops:1.99%
other:78.38% (2011)


Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)


Total renewable water resources:
37.5 cu km (2011)


Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes


Environment - current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife; deforestation


Environment - international agreements:
party to:Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:none of the selected agreements


Geography - note:
within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Montenegro, and traditionally has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the east

People and Society

Nationality:
noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s)
adjective:Bosnian, Herzegovinian


Ethnic groups:
Bosniak 48%, Serb 37.1%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000)


Languages:
Bosnian (official), Croatian (official), Serbian (official)


Religions:
Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14%


Population:
3,871,643 (July 2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 129


Age structure:
0-14 years:13.7% (male 272,812/female 256,152)
15-24 years:12.7% (male 255,074/female 238,428)
25-54 years:46.7% (male 906,265/female 899,870)
55-64 years:13.7% (male 253,045/female 276,769)
65 years and over:13.3% (male 199,515/female 313,713) (2014 est.)


Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:44.8 %
youth dependency ratio:22 %
elderly dependency ratio:22.7 %
potential support ratio:4.4 (2014 est.)


Median age:
total:40.8 years
male:39.4 years
female:42.2 years (2014 est.)


Population growth rate:
-0.11% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 207


Birth rate:
8.89 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 211


Death rate:
9.64 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 54


Net migration rate:
-0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 132


Urbanization:
urban population:48.3% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization:0.86% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)


Major urban areas - population:
SARAJEVO (capital) 389,000 (2011)


Sex ratio:
at birth:1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years:1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years:1.07 male(s)/female
25-54 years:1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years:0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.63 male(s)/female
total population:0.95 male(s)/female (2014 est.)


Mother's mean age at first birth:
26.3 (2011 est.)


Maternal mortality rate:
8 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)


Infant mortality rate:
total:5.84 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 173
male:5.91 deaths/1,000 live births
female:5.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)


    Life expectancy at birth:
total population:76.33 yearscountry comparison to the world: 84
male:73.33 years
female:79.55 years (2014 est.)


Total fertility rate:
1.26 children born/woman (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 218


Contraceptive prevalence rate:
45.8% (2012)


Health expenditures:
10.2% of GDP (2011)


Physicians density:
1.69 physicians/1,000 population (2010)


Hospital bed density:
3.5 beds/1,000 population (2010)


Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 99.6% of population
rural: 99.5% of population
total: 99.6% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0.4% of population
rural: 0.5% of population
total: 0.4% of population (2012 est.)


Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 98.9% of population
rural: 92.1% of population
total: 95.4% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1.1% of population
rural: 7.9% of population
total: 4.6% of population (2012 est.)


HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2007 est.)country comparison to the world: 127


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
900 (2007 est.)country comparison to the world: 151


HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100 (2001 est.)country comparison to the world: 128


Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
26.5% (2008)country comparison to the world: 47


Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
1.5% (2012)country comparison to the world: 128


Education expenditures:
NA

Literacy:
definition:age 15 and over can read and write
total population:98%
male:99.5%
female:96.7% (2011 est.)


Child labor - children ages 5-14:



Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:62.8%country comparison to the world: 1
male:62.8%
female:62.8% (2012)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form:Bosnia and Herzegovina
local long form:none
local short form:Bosna i Hercegovina
former:People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina


Government type:
emerging federal democratic republic


Capital:
name:Sarajevo
geographic coordinates:43 52 N, 18 25 E
time difference:UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October


Administrative divisions:
2 first-order administrative divisions and 1 internationally supervised district* - the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine), the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska, Brcko District (Brcko Distrikt)*; note - Brcko District is in northeastern Bosnia and is a self-governing administrative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina and formally held in condominium between the two entities


Independence:
1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence completed on 1 March 1992; independence declared on 3 March 1992)


National holiday:
National Day (Statehood Day), 25 November (1943); note - observed only in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity


Constitution:
14 December 1995 (constitution included as part of the Dayton Peace Accords); amended several times, last in 2003; note - each of the entities has its own constitution (2011)


Legal system:
civil law system; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts


International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction


Suffrage:
18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal


Executive branch:
chief of state:Chairman of the Presidency Bakir IZETBEGOVIC (chairman since 10 March 2014; presidency member since 10 November 2010 - Bosniak) ; other members of the three-member presidency rotate every eight months: Zeljko KOMSIC (presidency member since 6 November 2006 - Croat); Nebojsa RADMANOVIC (presidency member since 6 November 2006 - Serb)
head of government:Chairman of the Council of Ministers Vjekoslav BEVANDA (since 12 January 2012)
cabinet:Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman; approved by the state-level House of Representatives
elections:the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one Croat, one Serb) elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term, but then ineligible for four years) by constituencies referring to the three ethnic groups; the candidate with the most votes in a constituency is elected; the chairmanship rotates every eight months and resumes where it left off following each general election; election last held on 3 October 2010 (next to be held in October 2014); the chairman of the Council of Ministers appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the state-level House of Representatives
election results:percent of vote - Nebojsa RADMANOVIC with 48.9% of the votes for the Serb seat; Zeljko KOMSIC with 60.6% of the votes for the Croat seat; Bakir IZETBEGOVIC with 34.9% of the votes for the Bosniak seat
note:President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zivko BUDIMIR (since 17 March 2011); Vice Presidents Svetozar PUDARIC (since 17 March 2011) and Mirsad KEBO (since 17 March 2007); President of the Republika Srpska Milorad DODIK (since 15 November 2010); Vice Presidents Enes SULJKANOVIC (since 15 November 2010) and Emil VLAJKI (since 15 November 2010)


Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats, 5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members designated by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of Peoples and the Republika Srpska's National Assembly to serve four-year terms); and the state-level House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats, 28 seats allocated for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats for the Republika Srpska; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's election law specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order administrative division entity legislatures
elections:House of Peoples - last constituted in 9 June 2011 (next likely to be constituted in 2015); state-level House of Representatives - election last held on 3 October 2010 (next to be held in October 2014)
election results:House of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - NA; state-level House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - Federation votes: SDP BiH 26.1%, SDA 19.4%, SBB BiH 12.2%, HDZ BiH 11%, SBIH 7.3%, HDZ-1990/HSP BiH 4.9%, NSRzB 4.8%, DNZ 1.5%; Republika Srpska votes: SNSD 43.3%, SDS 22.2%, PDP 6.5%, DNS 4.6%; seats by party/coalition - SDP BiH 8, SNSD 8, SDA 7, SDS 4, SBB BiH 4, HDZ-BiH 3, SBiH 2, HDZ-1990/HSP BiH 2, NSRzB 1, DNZ 1, PDP 1, DNS 1
note:the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that consists of a House of Peoples (58 seats - 17 Bosniak, 17 Croat, 17 Serb, 7 other); last constituted May 2011 (next likely to be constituted in 2015); and a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held on 3 October 2010 (next to be held in October 2014); percent of vote by party - SDP BiH 24.5%, SDA 20.2%, SBB BiH 11.9%, HDZ BiH 10.6%, SBiH 7.6%, NSRzB 4.7%, HDZ 1990/HSP BiH 4.7%, A-SDA 1.9%, DNZ 1.5%, SNSD .9%; seats by party/coalition - SDP BiH 28, SDA 23, SBB BiH 13, HDZ-BiH 12, SBiH 9, NSRzB 5, HDZ-1990/HSP BiH 5, DNZ 1, A-SDA 1, SNSD 1; the Republika Srpska has a National Assembly (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held on 3 October 2010 (next to be held in October 2014); percent of vote by party - SNSD 38%, SDS 19%, PDP 7.6%, DNS 6%, SPRS 4.2%, DP 3.4%, SDP BiH 3%, SDA 2.7%, SRS RS 2.4%, NDS 2.1%; seats by party/coalition - SNSD 37, SDS 18, PDP 7, DNS 6, SPRS 4, DP 3, SDP BiH 3, SDA 2, NDS 2, SRS-RS 1; as a result of the 2002 constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska Council of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska National Assembly including 8 Croats, 8 Bosniaks, 8 Serbs, and 4 members of the smaller communities


Judicial branch:
highest court(s):BiH Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members); Court of BiH (consists of 44 national judges and 7 international judges organized into three divisions - Administrative, Appellate, and Criminal, which includes a War Crimes Chamber)
judge selection and term of office:BiH Constitutional Court judges - 4 selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of Representatives, 2 selected by the Republika Srpska's National Assembly, and 3 non-Bosnian judges selected by the president of the European Court of Human Rights; Court of BiH president and national judges appointed by the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council; Court of BiH president appointed for renewable 6-year term; other national judges appointed to serve until age 70; international judges recommended by the president of the Court of BiH and appointed by the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina; international judges appointed to serve until age 70
subordinate courts:the Federation has 10 cantonal courts plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska has a supreme court, 5 district courts, and a number of municipal courts


Political parties and leaders:
Activist Democratic Party or A-SDA
Alliance for a Better Future of BiH or SBB BiH [Fahrudin RADONCIC]
Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK]
Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]
Bosnian Patriotic Party or BPS [Sefer HALILOVIC]
Civic Democratic Party or GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]
Croat Peasants' Party-New Croat Initiative or HSS-NHI [Ante COLAK]
Croatian Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Ivan MUSA]
Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BiH [Dragan COVIC]
Croatian Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ-1990 [Martin RAGUZ]
Croatian Party of Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HSP BiH [Zvonko JURISIC]
Democratic National Union or DNZ [Rifat DOLIC]
Democratic Peoples' Alliance or DNS [Marko PAVIC]
Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Amir HUSARIC]
Nasa Stranka or NS [Denis GRATZ]
National Democratic Party or NDS
New Socialist Party or NSP [Zdravko KRSMANOVIC]
Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina or SBiH [Amer JERLAGIC]
Party of Democratic Action or SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]
Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen IVANIC]
Party of Justice and Trust or SPP [Zivko BUDIMIR]
People's Democratic Movement or NDP [Dragan CAVIC and Krsto JANDRIC] (unification of the Democratic Party or DP and the People's Democratic Party or NDS)
'People's' Party of Work for Progress or NSRzB [Mladen IVANKOVIC-LIJANOVIC]
Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Mladen BOSIC]
Serb Radical Party of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICA]
Serb Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Dejan SANTIC]
Social Democratic Party of BiH or SDP BiH [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]
Social Democratic Union or SDU [Miro LAZOVIC]
Socialist Party of Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]


    Political pressure groups and leaders:
Activist Democratic Party or A-SDA
Alliance for a Better Future of BiH or SBB BiH [Fahrudin RADONCIC]
Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK]
Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]
Bosnian Patriotic Party or BPS [Sefer HALILOVIC]
Civic Democratic Party or GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]
Croat Peasants' Party-New Croat Initiative or HSS-NHI [Ante COLAK]
Croatian Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Ivan MUSA]
Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BiH [Dragan COVIC]
Croatian Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ-1990 [Martin RAGUZ]
Croatian Party of Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HSP BiH [Zvonko JURISIC]
Democratic National Union or DNZ [Rifat DOLIC]
Democratic Peoples' Alliance or DNS [Marko PAVIC]
Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Amir HUSARIC]
Nasa Stranka or NS [Denis GRATZ]
National Democratic Party or NDS
New Socialist Party or NSP [Zdravko KRSMANOVIC]
Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina or SBiH [Amer JERLAGIC]
Party of Democratic Action or SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]
Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen IVANIC]
Party of Justice and Trust or SPP [Zivko BUDIMIR]
People's Democratic Movement or NDP [Dragan CAVIC and Krsto JANDRIC] (unification of the Democratic Party or DP and the People's Democratic Party or NDS)
'People's' Party of Work for Progress or NSRzB [Mladen IVANKOVIC-LIJANOVIC]
Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Mladen BOSIC]
Serb Radical Party of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICA]
Serb Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Dejan SANTIC]
Social Democratic Party of BiH or SDP BiH [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]
Social Democratic Union or SDU [Miro LAZOVIC]
Socialist Party of Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]



International organization participation:
BIS, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)


Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Jadranka NEGODIC (since 19 July 2012)
chancery:2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone:[1] (202) 337-1500
FAX:[1] (202) 337-1502
consulate(s) general:Chicago, New York


Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Nicholas M. HILL (since 24 August 2013)
embassy:1 Robert C. Frasure Street, 71000 Sarajevo
mailing address:use embassy street address
telephone:[387] (33) 704-000
FAX:[387] (33) 659-722
branch office(s):Banja Luka, Mostar


Flag description:
a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse of the triangle; the triangle approximates the shape of the country and its three points stand for the constituent peoples - Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs; the stars represent Europe and are meant to be continuous (thus the half stars at top and bottom); the colors (white, blue, and yellow) are often associated with neutrality and peace, and traditionally are linked with Bosnia


National symbol(s):
golden lily


National anthem:
name:'Drzavna himna Bosne i Hercegovine' (The National Anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina)

lyrics/music:Dusan SESTIC and Benjamin ISOVIC/Dusan SESTIC
note:music adopted 1999; lyrics adopted 2009

Economy

Economy - overview:
Bosnia has a transitional economy with limited market reforms. The economy relies heavily on the export of metals, energy, textiles and furniture as well as on remittances and foreign aid. A highly decentralized government hampers economic policy coordination and reform, while excessive bureaucracy and a segmented market discourage foreign investment. The interethnic warfare in Bosnia and Herzegovina caused production to plummet by 80% from 1992 to 1995 and unemployment to soar. With an uneasy peace in place, output recovered in 1996-99 but slowed in 2000-02 and picked up again during 2003-08, when GDP growth exceeded 5% per year. However, the country declined in 2009 reflecting local effects of the global economic crisis. GDP growth contracted again in 2012, but posted a small gain in 2013. Foreign banks, primarily from Austria and Italy, now control most of the banking sector. The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark or BAM) - the national currency introduced in 1998 - is pegged to the euro, and confidence in the currency and the banking sector has remained stable. Bosnia's private sector is growing slowly, but foreign investment has dropped sharply since 2007. Government spending - including transfer payments - remains high, at roughly 40% of GDP, because of redundant government offices at the state, entity and municipal level. Privatization of state enterprises has been slow, particularly in the Federation, where political division between ethnically-based political parties makes agreement on economic policy more difficult. High unemployment remains the most serious macroeconomic problem. Successful implementation of a value-added tax in 2006 provided a steady source of revenue for the government and helped rein in gray-market activity. National-level statistics have also improved over time but a large share of economic activity remains unofficial and unrecorded. Bosnia and Herzegovina became a full member of the Central European Free Trade Agreement in September 2007. Bosnia and Herzegovina's top economic priorities are: acceleration of integration into the EU; strengthening the fiscal system; public administration reform; World Trade Organization (WTO) membership; and securing economic growth by fostering a dynamic, competitive private sector. In 2009, Bosnia and Herzegovina was granted an International Monetary Fund (IMF) stand-by arrangement, necessitated by sharply increased social spending and a fiscal crisis exacerbated by the global economic downturn. Disbursement of IMF aid was suspended in 2011 after a parliamentary deadlock left Bosnia without a state-level government for over a year. The IMF concluded a new stand-by arrangement with Bosnia in October 2012 which aims to improve national policy coordination, continue fiscal contraction, improve crisis preparedness, and create an environment conducive to private sector development.


GDP (purchasing power parity):
$32.16 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
$31.9 billion (2012 est.)
$32.26 billion (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


GDP (official exchange rate):
$18.87 billion (2013 est.)


GDP - real growth rate:
0.8% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
-1.1% (2012 est.)
1% (2011 est.)


GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,300 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
$8,200 (2012 est.)
$8,300 (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars


Gross national saving:
8.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
6.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
6.4% of GDP (2011 est.)


GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:82.1%
government consumption:22.1%
investment in fixed capital:17.7%
investment in inventories:1.5%
exports of goods and services:29%
imports of goods and services:-52.4%
(2012 est.)


GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:8.1%
industry:26.4%
services:65.5% (2013 est.)


Agriculture - products:
wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock


Industries:
steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, ammunition, domestic appliances, oil refining


Industrial production growth rate:
11.7% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8

Labor force:
1.49 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129


Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:18.9%
industry:29.8%
services:51.3% (2013)


    Unemployment rate:
44.3% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
44.1% (2012 est.)
note:official rate; actual rate is lower as many technically unemployed persons work in the gray economy


Population below poverty line:
18.6% (2007 est.)


Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:2.7%
highest 10%:27.3% (2007)


Distribution of family income - Gini index:
36.2 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 87

Budget:
revenues:$7.691 billion
expenditures:$7.497 billion (2013 est.)


Taxes and other revenues:
40.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
1% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28


Public debt:
45.9% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
42.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
note:data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions.


Fiscal year:
calendar year


Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.2% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
1.8% (2012 est.)


Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.73% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
6.8% (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of narrow money:
$4.493 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
$4.122 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of broad money:
$10.8 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
$10.21 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of domestic credit:
$11 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
$10.82 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA


Current account balance:
-$939.5 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
$1.639 billion (2012 est.)


Exports:
$5.687 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
$5.161 billion (2012 est.)


Exports - commodities:
metals, clothing, wood products


Exports - partners:
Germany 15.6%, Croatia 14.2%, Italy 12.1%, Serbia 9.1%, Austria 8.2%, Slovenia 8.1% (2012 est.)


Imports:
$10.3 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
$10.02 billion (2012 est.)


Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs


Imports - partners:
Germany 11.4%, Russian Federation 9.9%, Serbia 9.8%, Italy 9.7%, China 6%, Slovenia 5%, Croatia 12.8% (2012 est.)


Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$5.002 billion (31 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
$4.852 billion (31 January 2013 est.)


Debt - external:
$11.14 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
$10.81 billion (31 December 2012 est.)


Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$7.721 billion
country comparison to the world: 87
$7.58 billion


Exchange rates:
konvertibilna markas (BAM) per US dollar -
1.42 (2013 est.)
1.52 (2012 est.)
1.4767 (2010 est.)
1.4079 (2009)
1.3083 (2008)

Energy

Electricity - production:
12.93 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89


Electricity - consumption:
12.62 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86


Electricity - exports:
1.569 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48


Electricity - imports:
1.245 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62


Electricity - installed generating capacity:
3.963 million kW (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81


Electricity - from fossil fuels:
43.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165


Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50


Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
53.2% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39


Electricity - from other renewable sources:
3.5% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55


Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154


Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86


Crude oil - imports:
22,140 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68


    Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109


Refined petroleum products - production:
22,430 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91


Refined petroleum products - consumption:
27,540 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118


Refined petroleum products - exports:
10,460 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84


Refined petroleum products - imports:
16,330 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114


Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105


Natural gas - consumption:
256.9 million cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100


Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67


Natural gas - imports:
256.9 million cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67


Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116


Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
22.2 million Mt (2011 est.)

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
878,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 82


Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.35 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 127


Telephone system:
general assessment:post-war reconstruction of the telecommunications network, aided by an internationally sponsored program, resulting in sharp increases in the number of fixed telephone lines available
domestic:fixed-line teledensity roughly 25 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing rapidly and, stands at roughly 80 telephones per 100 persons
international:country code - 387; no satellite earth stations (2011)



    Broadcast media:
3 public TV broadcasters: Radio and TV of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federation TV (operating 2 networks), and Republika Srpska Radio-TV; a local commercial network of 5 TV stations; 3 private, near-national TV stations and dozens of small independent TV stations broadcasting; 3 large public radio broadcasters and many private radio stations (2010)


Internet country code:
.ba


Internet hosts:
155,252 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 77


Internet users:
1.422 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 85

Transportation

Airports
24 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 130


Airports - with paved runways
total:7
2,438 to 3,047 m:4
1,524 to 2,437 m:1
under 914 m:2 (2013)


Airports - with unpaved runways
total:17
1,524 to 2,437 m:1
914 to 1,523 m:5
under 914 m:
11 (2013)


Heliports
6 (2013)


    Pipelines
gas 147 km; oil 9 km (2013)


Railways
total:601 kmcountry comparison to the world: 107
standard gauge:601 km 1.435-m gauge (392 km electrified) (2009)


Roadways
total:22,926 kmcountry comparison to the world: 102
paved:19,426 km (4,652 km of interurban roads)
unpaved:3,500 km (2010)


Waterways



Ports and terminals
river port(s):Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, Brcko, Orasje (Sava River)

Military

Military branches
Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH): Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Air and Air Defense Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzracna Obrana, ZPO) (2013)


Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; mandatory retirement at age 35 or after 15 years of service (2013)


Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49:1,180,829
females age 16-49:1,143,919 (2010 est.)


Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49:968,242
females age 16-49:937,327 (2010 est.)


    Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male:26,601
female:24,879 (2010 est.)


Military expenditures
1.35% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 75
1.15% of GDP (2011)
1.35% of GDP (2010)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international
Serbia delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute


Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin):6,709 (Croatia) (2013)
IDPs:103,400 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Bosniaks displaced by intern-ethnic violence, human rights violations, and armed conflict during the 1992-1995 war) (2013 est.)
stateless persons:4,500 (2012)



    Illicit drugs
increasingly a transit point for heroin being trafficked to Western Europe; minor transit point for marijuana; remains highly vulnerable to money-laundering activity given a primarily cash-based and unregulated economy, weak law enforcement, and instances of corruption
Information/ Data by CIA - The World Factbook